About Us

Mission

The primary mission of the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy (RIMPTA) is to provide basic training to the State's municipal, college and university police officers. This training is based on nationally accepted standards for police recruit training. Our goal is to provide coordinated, state of the art training from different perspectives in order to produce well rounded, competent, educated and highly motivated police officers.

The RIMPTA also embraces the mission of providing quality in-service training to members of the law enforcement community. Our staff will offer new programs to prepare members of the law enforcement community for the ever-changing roles and responsibilities they must assume in order to protect lives and property.

In order to meet our goals, the RIMPTA will establish an effective management team to provide training and education. Each member of the Academy staff brings talent, skill and dedication to their duties and responsibilities. It is the mission of the Academy to provide each staff member the opportunity to share their talents and skills, and grow intellectually and professionally.

History

In 1969, Section 42-28.2-2 of the Rhode Island General Laws established the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy and assigned it the responsibility of training and certifying all municipal police officers except the City of Providence. Additionally, the Academy was given the responsibility of training police officers from several State agencies that have law enforcement powers.

The first two basic training classes were conducted in Foster, Rhode Island under the supervision of the Rhode Island State Police in 1970. Then, in 1971, the Rhode Island Municipal Police Training Academy (RIMPTA) moved its training operations to the Armory located on Sandy Lane in Warwick and began to train all basic police recruit classes on its own.

Over the next ten years, the Academy relocated its administrative offices and training facilities several times. After the Armory on Sandy Lane in Warwick, RIMPTA moved to the old RI School for the Deaf building on Mt. Hope Avenue in Providence during the early 1970's. RIMPTA then moved to the University of Rhode Island in the mid 1970's and stayed until 1980. In 1980, RIMPTA moved two different times. The first move was to an old Navy building in Davisville, North Kingstown. The second move was to a Port Authority building in Quonset, North Kingstown.

In August 1981, RIMPTA finally moved to the Community College of Rhode Island, Flanagan Campus, Lincoln, RI and has been located here. By annual contractual agreement, the Academy pays a very nominal rent to the Community College and in return derives numerous benefits. RIMPTA is provided administrative office space; an assigned classroom; storage room space; use of the gymnasium and locker rooms; use of the swimming pool facilities; use of the bookstore, cafeteria and library; ample parking facilities; periodic use of the President's Conference Room and use of many other auditoriums and classroom for graduations and in-service training classes. Additionally, the Community College offers 10 college credits toward their Criminal Justice Degree Program for those Police Academy graduates that are interested in pursuing an Associates Degree. Being located at CCRI has proven to be most advantageous both for the Police Academy and the many police agencies we serve.

RIMPA has consistently graduated an average of 100 police recruits a year and the Basic Recruit Class currently has been expanded to a 20-week training session, consisting of approximately 850 hours of basic training. In January, 2011, the Police Academy re-located at the CCRI campus in Lincoln to a larger classroom and expanded offices. The larger classroom will accommodate larger recruit class sizes as well as handle a multitude of in-service training courses.